Language is the lens through which we experience the world as humans. In this section of First Year Seminar, we’ll consider the question of what language is, at its core, by exploring topics like animal communication, the diversity of languages around the world including signed and spoken languages, language rights and policy, language endangerment, and English in the context of our increasingly globalized world. We’ll consider the role of language in autonomous technology, such as generative AI and self-driving cars. We’ll consider variation and the consequences by examining social differences in American English, such as how and why race, gender, and age affect the way we use language. We’ll also look at language learning and acquisition, including how typically-developing children acquire their first language, and the intersection of neurodivergence, developmental and acquired speech disorders. Through exploring these topics, the course will help students acquire and develop their skills as students and independent citizens, and explore their new home at Truman.

Section 01  |  TR 1:30 pm-2:50 pm  |  Instructor: Dr. Emily Long Olsen, Assistant Professor of Linguistics

Understanding cultural differences is essential to becoming an effective communicator, problem solver, and citizen. Cultures differ among social groups, and they are not limited to nations or ethnicities but also age, gender, regions, occupations, hobbies, etc. This course explores the idea and development of ‘normal’ across cultures, both macro and micro, and helps you to see things from various perspectives and to learn from each other.

Section 02  |  MWF 3:30-4:20 pm  |  Instructor: Dr. Shinya Uchida, Instructor of Japanese

Taking a walk is the best way to get oriented to a new place. As we move at human speed, our senses are able to take in various sights, smells, and sounds, and thereby recognize our place in the physical environment. In this FYS we will study the phenomenon of walking from multiple perspectives, considering human anatomy and evolution, the history of walking as a leisure pursuit, the health benefits of walking, the value of walking (pilgrimage) as religious observance, walking as a form of protest, as well as walking as a transportation alternative. We will get to know Kirksville, Truman, and each better through long walks, films and books about memorable walks, and service projects centered on making Kirksville a better place to walk.

Section 03  |  TR 10:30 am-12:00 pm  |  Instructor: Dr. Bridget Thomas, Professor of Classics

This course focuses on the lasting cultural impact of Mary Shelley, her monster, and the scientist who dared to bring him to life. We will not only read and discuss the novel but analyze manga, stage, and film adaptations of it, as well. Along the way we will ask the big questions: What does it mean to be human? What ethical responsibility do we have to the things we create? Because we have the power to do something, should we use it? What is death’s relationship to life?

Section 04  |  MWF 12:30 pm-01:20 pm  |  Instructor: Dr. Sarah Mohler, Associate Professor of English

We are facing a wide variety of urgent and pressing social problems from Trump’s attempts to undermine democracy and Republican efforts to ban access to reproductive rights and transgender care. This class will engage in depth discussions of these and a wide variety of other topics including racism, economic inequality, climate change, immigration, drug abuse, gun violence, housing, and student debt.

Section 05  |  TR 9:00-10:20 am  |  Instructor: Dr. Marc Becker, Professor of History

Our consumption of popular culture is off the charts. Whether it be through film, TV, video games, computers or actual print, the 21st century is marked by how much popular culture shapes our identities and guides our spending habits. Hollywood knows this and so does Madison Avenue. Yet popular culture does not exist in a vacuum and often draws from the past in order to create timeless stories that people return to again and again. This is as true for Disney when it repackages Western tales and myths, as it true for Japanese video game designers who draw heavily from stories like Romance of the Three Kingdoms. In this course, we will explore various forms of popular culture in East Asia (China, Japan and Korea), beginning with more traditional forms and ending with the K-pop that is so dear to all our hearts.

Section 06  |  TR 12:00–1:20 pm  |  Instructor: Dr. Jomo Smith, Instructor of History

This course explores four philosophical questions. First, what are we? What makes me today the same person as my 5-year-old self? If I lose all my memories and my personality changes radically, is that similar to dying? In the future, could we survive by “uploading” our personalities onto computer chips? Second, do divine or supernatural beings exist? Is such a being necessary to explain the existence of the universe? Is the existence of a divine being compatible with evil in the world? Third, how should we act? Is morality determined by culture? Is it ok to kill one person to save many others? Do we have moral obligations to animals? Fourth, what can we know? Can we know anything about the external world, or could we be systematically deceived about the nature of reality? Can we make justified predictions about the future or trust the testimony of others? In addition to introducing these philosophical questions, the course will help students improve academic skills and explore their new home in Kirksville and at Truman.

Section 07  |  MWF 1:30-2:20 pm  |  Instructor: Dr. Josh Mund, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religion

This course examines interpersonal communication in common types of relationships that affect university life, including roommate relationships, new romantic partners, parents, children and families, professor-student relationships, workplace and peer relationships, including working in small groups, clubs, organizations, and in online platforms. Students who complete this course will have identified and applied skills for managing relationships and interpersonal conflict, improving the likelihood of successful workplace and academic communication.

Section 09  |  TR 10:30 am-11:50 am  |  Instructor: David Price, Associate Professor of Communication

The purpose of this course is to cultivate the habits of curiosity, good scholarship, ethical considerations, and community engagement needed for students to grow as liberally educated lifelong learners. Students will explore the notion of the self and how each individual’s role is influenced within the broader context of a major or occupation, relevant groups, the local community, and society. The course serves as an introduction to critical, multi-disciplinary, and intercultural thinking. This course is designed for Computer Science majors and those interested in the field.

Section 11  |  MWF 10:30-11:20 am  |  Instructor: Professor Fujian Yan

This course invites students to reflect on what it means to be an educated person in today’s world. Guided by the essential question “Are you educated?” students will explore how individual identity is shaped within cultural, societal, and community contexts. Designed to foster curiosity, reflection, academic integrity, and civic engagement, the course encourages students to challenge conventional ideas of education and consider how its meaning shifts across time, place, and lived experience. Students will also develop an appreciation for education not only as a personal journey but as a public good, vital to the health of communities, the pursuit of equity, and the functioning of a democratic society. By the end of the course, students will be better equipped to articulate their own educational values and to engage with the world as thoughtful, informed, and responsible lifelong learners.

Section 12  |  TR 10:30 am–11:50 am  |  Instructor: Dr. Melissa Chapman, Lecturer in Education

This course introduces students to the foundational skills of creativity and complex problem-solving across disciplines. Students will learn to reclaim their childhood creative confidence and explore the tools to frame challenges, generate innovative ideas, and develop effective, actionable solutions to real-world problems. Drawing from psychology, design thinking, systems theory, and cognitive science, this course blends hands-on activities, collaborative projects, and reflective learning to cultivate creativity and complex problem-solving skills. Students will engage in playful, experiential activities, including games, simulations, and real-world design challenges. This course emphasizes learning by doing, with opportunities to apply tools and theories to meaningful, real-world contexts.

Section 13  |  MWF 9:30-10:20 am  |  Instructor: Dr. Jie Li, Assistant Professor of Business Administration

Course description coming soon!

Section 14 | MWF 1:30-2:20 pm | Instructor: Dr. Stephen Lacina, Assistant Professor of Mathematics

This section will focus on the history of agriculture in Kirksville and specifically at the university-owned farm. It will also explore the impacts agriculture has on the local, state, and national level, including the changes in the industry throughout time and adaptations that are being made to the changing climate. Students in this section can expect to get their hands dirty experimenting with the content and learning from primary sources.

Section 15 | MWF 9:30-10:20 am | Instructor: Dr. Emily Costello, Lecturer in Agricultural Science

Antibiotics were once “wonder drugs”, and are now losing their usefulness as the number of antibiotic resistant infections increases. Students will learn about bacteria and antibiotic resistance, and emerging bacterial threats. The role of citizen science in society will be discussed, as will the role of science, science literacy, and the importance of academic discourse in human health will be explored. Students will take a turn as citizen scientists to explore methods for discovering new antibiotics. The course serves as an introduction to critical, multi-disciplinary, and intercultural thinking.

Section 16  |  MWF 2:30-3:20 pm  |  Instructor: Dr. Joyce Patrick, Associate Professor of Biology

The course will help each student develop their own individual philosophy on the significance of money in everyday life, serve as an introduction to developing skills and strategies on how to make and manage money and how to overcome legal challenges that sometimes run interference. The course will also demonstrate that the same strategies designed to make and manage money and navigate legal issues can be employed to create success in your educational experience at Truman and how putting yourself in a sound financial position and staying out of legal trouble can allow you to pass the success forward through philanthropy and community service. If time allows and throughout the course — current business and legal topics in the news will be discussed.

Section 18  |  TR 9:00-10:20 am  |  Instructor: Dr. Liz Diers, Associate Professor of Accounting
Section 19  |  TR 10:30-11:50 am  |  Instructor: Dr. Liz Diers, Associate Professor of Accounting

Course description coming soon!

Section 01  |  M 9:30-10:20 am  |  Instructor: Dr. John Palazzolo, Assistant Professor